1. Social Structure and Interaction in Everyday Life
Chapter 4
Social Structure and Interaction in Everyday Life

2. Social Interaction Social Structure Process of acting/responding
Foundation for all relationships/groups
Social Structure
Framework
Social practices
Limits on behavior

3. The Macrolevel Perspective
Part I:
The Macrolevel Perspective

4. Social Structure Framework
SOCIETY
Social Institutions
Statuses and Roles
Traditional
Family
Religion
Education
Government
Economy
Emergent
Sports
Mass Media
Science/Medicine
Ascribed Status
Race/ethnicity
Age
Gender
Class
Achieved Status
Occupation
Education
Income Level
Social Groups
Primary Groups
Family
Members
Close friends
Peers
Secondary Groups
Schools
Churches
Corporations

5. What does this “uniform” communicate?
Social Structure
Insiders and outsiders
Social Marginality
Stigma
Devalues a person’s social identity
Disqualifies that person from full social acceptance
What does this “uniform” communicate?

6. Status: socially defined position
Expectations
Rights
Duties
Ascribed
Conferred at birth
Involuntarily a “senior citizen”
Achieved
Voluntarily
Personal choice, merit of direct effort

7. Ascribed or Achieved?

8. Bling! Bling! Master Status Status Symbols Poor or rich
Race or ethnicity
Homelessness
a stigmatized master status
Status Symbols
Material signs
Communicates a person’s specific status

9. How do these two shopping cart images contrast with one another?
What point can then be made about status symbols?

10. Roles Behavioral expectations associated with a specific status
Role expectations  defined by society
Role performance  how the role is played

12. Social Groups consist of two or more people
Frequent interaction
Common identity
Interdependence
Primary Group
Face-to-face
Emotion-based
Extended period of time
Secondary Group
Impersonal, goal-oriented
Limited period of time

13. Social Institutions Traditional Emergent The The FAMILY MASS MEDIA
Organized beliefs and rules
Meet societies basic social needs
Traditional
Emergent
The
FAMILY
The
MASS MEDIA
RELIGION
SPORTS
EDUCATION
SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
The
ECONOMY
The
MILITARY
The
GOVERNMENT/
POLITICS

14. What purpose do social institutions serve?
Replacing members
Teaching new members
Producing, distributing, and consuming goods and services
Preserving order
Providing and maintaining a sense of purpose

15. Changes in Social Structure
Durkheim
Mechanical Solidarity
Organic Solidarity
Tönnies
Gemeinschaft
Gesellschaft
Economic complexity
Urbanization
Social Cohesion
LOW
HIGH
LOW
HIGH
HIGH
LOW

16. The Microlevel Perspective
Part II:
The Microlevel Perspective

17. Social Interaction rituals
Shared meanings
Interpretations and reactions
Goffman: civil inattention
Awareness without attention
Social construction of reality
Perception of reality is shaped by the meaning we give to an experience

18. Definition of the situation
We act on reality as we see it
Self-fulfilling prophecy

19. Ethnomethodology (Garfinkel)
the study of "common sense” knowledge
Well, actually I have a headache, a big, sore pimple on my butt, I lost my job, my wife never wants to have sex with me anymore, I’m getting fat, my cholesterol is through the roof . . .
How are you?
Fine.

20. Dramaturgical Analysis (Goffman)
Compares social interaction to a theatrical production
Players
Audience Members
Impression Management
Presentation of self
Give people the most favorable impression of their own image
Face-saving behavior
Rescue our failed performance
Studied nonobservance
Front Stage &
Back Stage

21. Nonverbal Communication
Visual Cues
(gestures)
Vocal Features
(inflection , volume, pitch)
Environmental Factors
(use of space, position)
May be intentional or unintentional

22. Facial Expressions Eye Contact Touching Personal Space
0 – 18”: intimate
18” – 4’ : personal
4’ – 12’: social
12’ – 25’: public
Cultural Differences?
Racial/Ethnic Differences?
Gender Differences?
Power Relationships?

23. Questions? Comments?